Receptacle for atomizer or the like



March 1956 E. N. GRAHAM RECEPTACLE FOR ATOMIZER OR THE LIKE Filed May 18', 1955 INVENTOR. Elizabeth N. Graham T RNEY United States Patent- RECEPTACLE FOR ATOMIZER OR THE LIKE Elizabeth N. Graham, New York, N. Y.

Application May 18, 1953, Serial No. 355,696

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-211) The present invention relates to a container and more particularly to a dispensingcontainer of a molded, resiliently flexible synthetic plastic material particularly adapted to serve as a container for an atomizer or similar device for dispensing liquids and finely powdered solids in a thin spray. v

Resiliently flexible containers of the same general character and for the same general purpose have heretofore been known and used. Such containers were made in various forms and shapes and were constructed to be operated by the squeezing together, between thumb and other fingers, the side wall of the container.

Such containers as heretofore made presented a number of difficulties and disadvantages and were short of being entirely suited for the purpose. Thus, the squeezing operation was physically clumsy and uncomfortable beyond a certain point, because, generally, the bottom and shoulders of the container which were generally perpendicular to the side wall, interfered with the complete flexibility of the side wall thereof. For the same reason, complete evacuation of the container, both of air and of contents, was not possible and its operation was limited to be accomplished only by short compressing strokes which were not effective to empty the container of residual portions of material.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a dispensing container molded of a resiliently flexible synthetic plastic material in which all of the foregoing disadvantages are eliminated, and which is as nearly perfect for use in atomizing and similar other dispensing devices as possible.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing container of the character described which is operated by longitudinal compression of the side wall relative its longitudinal or vertical axis, rather than by the transverse compression, as heretofore, making the compression and discharge of contents more easy and physically more comfortable and more convenient.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispensing container of the character described which may be substantially completely compressed to thereby enable more prolonged and continuous discharging strokes as well as making possible the substantially complete evacuation of the contents of the container.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container of the character described which is of one piece and operates automatically and without the aid or presence of any extraneous resilient elements to return to normal shape and size after compression.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a dispensing container of the character described which is of innate and inherent attractive and ornamental appearance and which is relatively simple, easy and economical to produce.

The foregoing and other advantages and superiorities of the dispensing container of the present invention will become more readily comprehensible to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container of the present invention shown as held in a hand for a compressing and discharging movement, and

Fig. 2 is an exploded, vertical, sectional view of the same shown as associated with an atomizer closure and cap.

Referring more specifically to the accompanying drawing, the container of the present invention comprises a bottom wall, generally designated as 10, which may be round, oval or other suitable shape, preferably including a central portion, 11, and a marginal portiton, 12, which is offset outwardly at a slight angle to the central portion 11 to render the bottom wall 10 of generally concave shape.

The container also includes a top wall, 15, of preferably slightly concave shape having a central opening, 16, defined by an upstanding neck, 17, which is preferably externally threaded, as at 18.

The bottom wall 10 and the top wall 15 which may, but need not necessarily be of circular shape, are connected in spaced relationby a side wall, generally designated as 20, which is preferably integrally formed with the top and bottom walls 10 and 15, all of which are preferably formed of synthetic plastic material, as polyethylene.

The wall 20 is accordion pleated and is formed of a plurality of integrally joined oppositely directed frustoconical ring sections, including alternate upwardly and outwardly widening sections, 21, and upwardly and inwardly tapering sections, 22, with the lowermost of the sections connected to the bottom wall 10 being of the upwardly widening type 21, and the uppermost of the sections connected to the top wall 15 being preferably of the upwardly tapering elements 22, so that the minimum diameter of the side wall, at the bottom thereof, is equal approximately to the diameter of the bottom wall 10 and the minimum diameter of the side wall at the top is equal approximately to the diameter of the top wall 15, it being understood that the top and bottom walls, 10 and 15, may but need not necessarily be of equal diameter.

' It may here be stated that for most eflicient and easy operation of the container, the sections 21 and 22 may be formed with a slope that will provide an included angle between contiguous sections that is less than and preferably of about 60", more or less.

It will be seen that by this construction the container of the present invention may be vertically or longitudinally compressed to diminish or reduce its volume for the purpose of discharging its contents. It will be further apparent that because of the concave shapes of the top and bottom walls 10 and 15 and because their diameters do not exceed the minimum diameters of the adjacent portions of the side wall 20, the compressibility of the container is made possible to an extent greater than the thickness of the compressed side wall 20, to thereby obtain maximum discharge from the container by the compression.

The container may include a hollow plug, generally designated as 25, inserted into the neck 17. Where used for discharging solid material, the plug may comprise merely the annular wall, 26, fitting snugly within the neck and the top wall, 27, which may be of greater diameter than the annular wall and have its edge portions overlie the edges of the neck 17. The top wall 27 is formed with a discharge opening, 28, therethrough,

through which the powdered material may be ejected in a fine stream upon compression of the bottle.

Where the bottle is used'for discharge of liquids the plug 25 may be provided with a hollow, cylindrical stud or sleeve, 29, extending inwardly from its top wall and surrounding the opening 28, into which may be fitted, by one end, a flexible tube, 30; The stud 29 may be provided with inwardly formed longitudinal grooves, 31, forming air passages connected tothe discharge opening 28, to thereby provide for the admission of air into the bottle for the atomizing action, in a manner well known and readily understood bythose skilled in the art.

This completes the description of the container of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that this container constitutes a dispensing container for liquidand powdered material which is most easy and convenient to use and most efii'cient and effective for maximum discharge of its contents. It will also be apparent that the dispensing container of the present invention is of inherent attractive and decorative appearance.

It will be further apparent that numerous modifications' and variations in the dispensing container of the present invention may be made by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, and without the use of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any" and all such modifications and variations that may be made within the spirit of theinvention and the scope of' the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is":

1. A receptacle for a dispensing container'formed of astill, flexibly resilient synthetic plastic material and comprising a bottom wall and a top wall, said top wall having an opening defined by" an upstanding tubular neck and a side wall of ,a height adapted to be accommodated between the thumb and forefingers of a hand integrally formed with said top and bottom walls and comprising a plurality of tapering annular'wall sections integrally connected to one another in alternately reversed position to form transversely extending, normally ex tended accordion pleats between said top and bottom walls, said bottom wall having a concave central portion extending inwardly into the receptacle and the lowermost of said side wall sections being connected to the edge of said bottom wall with its narrowest end and the uppermost of said side wall sections being connected to the edge of said top wall with its narrowest end.

2. A receptacle for a dispensing container formed of a stiff, flexibly resilient synthetic plastic material and comprising an approximately circular bottom wall and an approximately circular top wall, said top wall having an opening formed therein defined by an outwardly extending tubular neck and a side wall of a height adapted to be accommodated between the thumb and forefingers of a hand integrally formed with said top and bottom wall and comprising frusto-conical ring sections integrally connected to one another by their edges in alternately reversed position to form transversely extending, normally extended accordion pleats between said top and bottom walls, said top and bottom walls having concave central portions extending inwardly into the receptacle and the lowermost of said side wall ring sections being connected to the edge of said bottom wall with its narrowest end' and the uppermost of said side wall ring sections being connected to the edge of said top wall with its narrowest end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 217,240 Reichardt July 8, 1879 421,112 Shattuck Feb. 11, 1890 762,299 Fulton June 14, 1904 2,154,393 Bates Apr. 11, 1939 2,188,507 Harris Ian. 30, 1940 2,554,658 Bolsey May 29, 1951 2,620,096 Buchan Dec. 2, 1952 2,689,688 Hexel Sept. 21, 1954 

